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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. lie — to recline
  3. object — a thing
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. suit — to fit
  6. spell — a short time
  7. pitch — completely
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — magic
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. lean — to bend
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. suit — in cards
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com